Our Approach

Our Approach

What We Believe

Guided by the belief that all children deserve the opportunity to live a fulfilling life, the Flamboyan Foundation works to ensure students most impacted by inequity are prepared to succeed in school and beyond.

Educational inequity is a daily reality for many students in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Too many children are born into pre-existing social, economic, and geographic systems that leave them without access to quality educational experiences. These inequities can, without intervention, lead to millions of young people exiting school each year unprepared to thrive in the years ahead.

At Flamboyan, we are working to change that reality.

In Puerto Rico, we are focused on improving reading proficiency for students in the early grades by building an island-wide system for reading instruction that includes creating proven teacher curriculum, designing classroom libraries for students, and providing professional development for teachers. Our work in Washington, D.C., centers on strengthening effective family engagement in schools and school systems across the country through training and and school-based partnerships.

Because we are committed to creating lasting change – and we know that people closest to a challenge often hold the keys to solving it – we are always listening, learning, and evolving with help from our partners. Because we are nimble listeners, Flamboyan also works on a range of collaborative initiatives that allow us to flexibly meet the changing needs of communities as they arise.

At Flamboyan, we believe every child will have a greater chance at living a fulfilling life because they will have had a high-quality education, no matter the circumstances into which they were born.

How We Work

Change requires more than just big ideas.

Flamboyan’s goal is to implement sustainable solutions so children most impacted by inequity thrive. Whether we’re strengthening K-3 reading in Puerto Rico, building effective family engagement in D.C., or launching a new initiative, there are six drivers we systematically apply to how we work.

Listen + Learn

We listen to and learn with people directly affected by challenges we are working to address.

Understand + Incorporate

We understand and incorporate what we’ve learned on the ground and from the most credible research and practices from the field to inform our work.

Build + Share

We build and share proven tools, research, guidance, and resources to influence the broader sphere.

Convene + Partner

We convene and partner with people and organizations committed to ensuring children thrive.

Challenge + Transform

We challenge and transform hearts, minds, and habits to be a catalyst for systemic change.

Reflect + Adjust

We reflect on and adjust what we do continuously, always doing what’s most meaningful for those we serve.

The Values That Drive Our Work

Flamboyan’s work is grounded in four core values. These values work together to shape everything we do.

People | We believe in the power, dignity, value, potential, and good intent of all people.

Equity | We challenge ourselves, one another, and our partners to uphold belief in a shared humanity by interrupting bias, dismantling systems of oppression, and lifting up the voices of marginalized people and communities.

Impact | We create lasting, meaningful social change.

Catalytic Action | We pursue our goals with passion and urgency, and activate others internally and externally to carry our work even further.